Posts from Braising

Even growing up in a Chinese-American family that predominantly ate Chinese food, I knew what pot roast was. I'd seen it mentioned on television and read enough about this classic American dish to know that it was homey and delicious.

Now that I have my own young family to feed, I truly understand why pot roast is so popular — it's inexpensive, makes a ton of servings, and makes the whole house smell delicious and warm. Although it's pretty hard to screw up pot roast, there is one big factor that will make or break the dish: choosing the right cut of beef.

From Texas to Tel Aviv, just about everyone loves brisket — the flavorful cut of beef found on the breast or lower chest of the cow. And what's not to like? The slowly-cooked meat is exceptionally tender and moist with caramelized edges perfect for nibbling straight from the pan.

It seems like Boston butts and pork shoulders get all the slow-cooking love these days, but there's another kid in town that gets dinner on the table in much less time, and still has all that budget-conscious, fall-off-the bone goodness. A pork shank begs for a braise, too, but unlike the larger cuts of pork we usually talk about, this one won't take all day to cook and can be done in a smaller pot.

When was the last time you eagerly scooped up a heaping second serving of cooked vegetables? If you can’t recall, you might be in a side dish rut. Put the steamer basket down, return the baking sheet to the cabinet, and whip out your biggest, trustiest lidded sauté pan. These tips will help you braise vegetables that are lightly caramelized on the outside, fork tender all the way through, and napped in a luxurious glaze.

Braising sounds fancy, doesn’t it? This classic, refined cooking method promises a combination of caramelized flavor and long-cooked tenderness, nudged along by gentle heat and a solicitous chef. To braise vegetables gives them their proper due, and it's the perfect treatment for all kinds of spring produce — especially wedges of sweet fennel.

Our piece about Jamie Oliver's Chicken in Milk got me thinking about other possibilities for cooking a whole chicken in milk — what could be easier than filling a pot with liquid and spices, turning on the heat, and walking away until what's left is the most succulent fall-off-the-bone bird?

So I decided to try the sweet and pungent flavors of coconut milk, lemongrass and star anise. Served over rice, it's a one-bowl meal complete with wilted greens and soupy coconut broth.

As you've probably heard, this holiday season includes the once-in-a-lifetime convergence of Thanksgiving and the first day of Hanukkah, an occasion more popularly known as Thanksgivukkah. Cooks all over the country are embracing the opportunity to mix the traditional foods of two holidays on one table, and this week we are sharing Thanksgivukkah recipes and ideas from our favorite chefs and cookbook authors.

There's nothing I love more than having a mammoth-sized batch of soup on the stove, whether it's going to serve a room full of people or supply me with a stockpile of meals. This New Mexico pork and green chile stew is the perfect candidate to make on a lazy Sunday and then live off of the rest of the week. It's spicy, savory, and hearty, and just when you think it can't get any better, it does!

Some of my best cooking came from accidents. These were often the accidents that were born of necessary substitutions when I ran out of something at home or, literally, from accidentally adding too much or too little of an ingredient only to be pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Such is the case with this genius single-serve muffin.